The True Happiness that Only Parents Understand When Children Do These 40 Small Things

Being a parent means navigating a never ending and unexpected myriad of adventures, emotions, celebrations and experiments; and at times living what can be deemed as both the best of and worst of days. It can be the toughest and the most blessed job in the world – so here’s 40 treasured child related moments guaranteed to leave a smile on your face, an acknowledging nod and a glow in your heart.

Snuggling up close

Feeling the warmth and energetic vibrations of their little bodies merging with yours

Sticky little hands and chubby wrists gripping and holding you tight – as though their world depended on it

Feeling their strong beating hearts fluttering against you

Knowing that you are their everything

Crying out only for you, and knowing nobody else but you can help them

Picking them back up after they’ve fallen (physically or metaphorically)

Empowering and reassuring them when another has emotionally hurt them

Being the safe harbour when the world becomes too overwhelming and they need help regaining their bearings

Drawing a picture, singing a song, making up a story, telling a joke for your entertainment only

Doing whatever it takes to engage your full attention and watch your eyes light up and your smile spread from ear to ear

Being privy to all their hopes and fears, secrets and vulnerabilities

Encouraging and applauding their originality and creativity for the same task for the hundredth time

Looking for your encouragement and approval that it is okay to be exactly as they are

Every time they proclaim and express their love and gratitude for you (long may it last!)

Colourful scribbles of unidentifiable objects, out of tune ditties with made up words, never ending stories that have no beginning, middle or end

Repeating made up jokes that they find the hilarious (but make no sense to you!)

Playing make believe, exercising your imagination and creativity and resurrecting your own inner child

Being a single person engaged, enthusiastic and cheerleading audience like no other will ever be

Being gifted hundreds of interesting facts that you probably already know

Laying claim to being the raison d’etre of your child’s budding talents

Being repeatedly informed and re-educated on topics such as the difference between each of the Disney princesses and Skylanders

Having the privilege to play Santa, the tooth fairy, the elf on the shelf, and the Easter bunny

The day they finally recognise that your way is the best way (for now!)

Watching tongues slightly protruding from the lips, eyes glazing over and ears tuning out when utterly absorbed in a task

Being totally occupied by something other than you

Falling asleep on you

FINALLY falling asleep on their own (although this can be a double edged sword!)

Listening in on their conversations with friends on whose mummy or daddy is the best

Knowing you will take on exalted challenges like a knight in shining armour, fighting any monsters or demons that may be lurking to keep them safe

Hearing them say I love you for the first or the millionth time

Listening to their ideas of what they will be like when they grow up

Watching them earnestly attempt to dance and master their body movements

Multiple happy birthday, Christmas and other special occasion cards, notes and letters created for you

Their take on ‘helping’ you

Telling you that you are the most beautiful, brave, amazing, special person ever

Their idea of taking turns and rules when playing a game

Fitting together puzzle pieces that don’t fit together

Tidying up

Knowing that no matter what came before – and what is to come after – it has all been worth it

7 Ways To Deal With Negative People

Some people will have a rain cloud hanging over them, no matter what the weather is outside. Their negative attitude is toxic to your own moods, and you probably feel like there is little you can do about it.

But that couldn’t be farther from the truth.

If you want to effectively deal with negative people and be a champion of positivity, then your best route is to take definite action through some of the steps below.

1. Limit the time you spend with them.

First, let’s get this out of the way. You can be more positive than a cartoon sponge, but even your enthusiasm has a chance of being afflicted by the constant negativity of a friend.

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In fact, negativity has been proven to damage your health physically, making you vulnerable to high levels of stress and even cardiac disease. There’s no reason to get hurt because of someone else’s bad mood.

Though this may be a little tricky depending on your situation, working to spend slightly less time around negative people will keep your own spirits from slipping as well.

2. Speak up for yourself.

Don’t just absorb the comments that you are being bombarded with, especially if they are about you. It’s wise to be quick to listen and slow to speak, but being too quiet can give the person the impression that you are accepting what’s being said.

3. Don’t pretend that their behavior is “OK.”

This is an easy trap to fall into. Point out to the person that their constant negativity isn’t a good thing. We don’t want to do this because it’s far easier to let someone sit in their woes, and we’d rather just stay out of it.

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But if you want the best for this person, avoid giving the false impression that their negativity is normal.

4. Don’t make their problems your problems.

Though I consider empathy a gift, it can be a dangerous thing. When we hear the complaints of a friend or family member, we typically start to take on their burdens with them.

This is a bad habit to get into, especially if this is a person who is almost exclusively negative. These types of people are prone to embellishing and altering a story in order to gain sympathy.

Why else would they be sharing this with you?

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5. Change the subject.

When you suspect that a conversation is starting to take a turn for the negative, be a champion of positivity by changing the subject. Of course, you have to do this without ignoring what the other person said.

Acknowledge their comment, but move the conversation forward before the euphoric pleasure gained from complaining takes hold of either of you.

6. Talk about solutions, not problems.

Sometimes, changing the subject isn’t an option if you want to deal with negative people, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still be positive.

I know that when someone begins dumping complaints on me, I have a hard time knowing exactly what to say. The key is to measure your responses as solution-based.

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You can do this by asking questions like, “Well, how could this be resolved?” or, “How do you think they feel about it?”

Use discernment to find an appropriate response that will help your friend manage their perspectives.

7. Leave them behind.

Sadly, there are times when we have to move on without these friends, especially if you have exhausted your best efforts toward building a positive relationship.

If this person is a family member, you can still have a functioning relationship with them, of course, but you may still have to limit the influence they have over your wellbeing.

That being said, what are some steps you’ve taken to deal with negative people? Let us know in the comments.